James Martini is 22 years old, born in Brooklyn, New York and currently living in Jackson, New Jersey. He has been practicing calisthenics since June 2016. After working on calisthenics for a few years he decided that he wanted to make an impact on other people’s fitness journeys and inspire them to work hard and achieve their goals.
How long have you been certified with NFPT?
I have been certified with NFPT for almost 2 years, since 2019.
Why did you choose NFPT?
I chose it because it is accredited and affordable.
Why did you decide to become a fitness professional?
I enjoy sharing knowledge on fitness and guiding people through their fitness journey.
What is the biggest challenge for you as a personal trainer?
My biggest challenge has been balancing school, work, and personal training sessions.
What is your biggest accomplishment in the fitness industry?
Balancing work, personal training, and my own training sessions.
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What has been your most rewarding experience as a personal trainer?
Seeing clients succeed and realizing that nothing is impossible. Small steps in the long term really add up.
How has social media played a role in your fitness business?
I have gotten a few clients from my Instagram profile which has worked out well for me so far.
How has COVID-19 affected your business and career path?
COVID has significantly affected my fitness practice as people did not want to train in person for a while. People are slowly going back to training one on one.
Any advice for people thinking about a career in fitness?
It is definitely not for everyone. It is not enough to only have a passion for working out, you have to adapt to different people and different styles. Being flexible and realizing that everyone achieves their goals at their own pace.
What does the future hold for you and for the fitness industry?
I hope to spread my love for calisthenics to as many people as I can. I would like to open up my own calisthenics gym one day in the future. Most people think you need to lift weights to be strong but you can do a lot of routines with your own bodyweight that will get you in top physical shape. On top of that, it is affordable, convenient, and almost all the exercises are compound movements. You can workout in your own home with no equipment.
Once you get to a higher level, adding weighted workouts to your routine will show you even more differences. The first routine I did before I could do a single pull-up was 300 pushups a day for 30 days. Everyone wants success fast, and calisthenics takes much more patience, but once you get there it is worth it.
You will also see your body burn a lot of calories in calisthenics. One of my favorites about calisthenics is you can do it outside in the fresh air. I also like to mix up my workouts by either doing an endurance type of workout such as EMOM, or isometric holds on the bar with more rest, or very heavy weighted workouts with less reps, or bodyweight with very high reps.
Is there anything else exciting you would like to share?
I am pursuing my goal to become a professional soccer coach. In the meantime, I am a physical education teacher, soccer coach and personal trainer. I enjoy leaving an impact on my clients, players, and students. That is what I live for. My role models that I look up to in a coaching aspect are Phil Jackson and Jose Mourinho. Some of my favorite athletes include Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paolo Maldini, Derrick Rose, Jason Kidd, Didier Drogba, and Jamie Vardy.
I also want to say that my mother Stephanie raised me on her own as a single parent, and she has been a major influence on my life and my mentality. Also my grandmother Frances, Aunt Janine, Uncle Frank, grandfather Stephen, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Adrianne, and my two younger cousins Michael and Sophia. I know for a fact that life is not easy and what you make of it. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do about it.
NFPT Publisher Michele G Rogers, MA, NFPT-CPT and EBFA Barefoot Training Specialist manages and coordinates educational blogs and social media content for NFPT, as well as NFPT exam development. She’s been a personal trainer and health coach for over 20 years fueled by a lifetime passion for all things health and fitness. Her mission is to raise kinesthetic awareness and nurture a mind-body connection, helping people achieve a higher state of health and wellness. After battling and conquering chronic back pain and becoming a parent, Michele aims her training approach to emphasize fluidity of movement, corrective exercise, and pain resolution. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Health Psychology from Northern Arizona University. Follow Michele on Instagram.
